Addiction recovery ideologies typically advocate total abstinence. But is there another way-moderation? Is it possible for an alcoholic to drink modestly, or the problem gambler to game controllably? It is possible for some people to engage in addictive behaviors and not fall prey to addiction- If one can eat cake sensibly or take his narcotic painkillers as prescribed, then surely others are capable of the same sensibility and control. Why don’t they tell us this … Read entire article »

Every addict knows the smokers. Users smoke while using. Those in recovery smoke before meetings, during breaks at work, between classes at school. Smoking is an addiction too, but an acceptable one. It’s a safe replacement – not because it won’t kill you, but because it won’t kill you today. Everyone knows smoking is bad for you, that it causes lung cancer, emphysema, etc. But we smoke anyways. For some people it’s a comforting habit, … Read entire article »

Why do many musicians fall victim to addiction? Of course this question cannot be decisively answered, every case is different. But with addiction running rampant among musicians since the jazz era, there are common themes.
Addiction surfaces throughout all careers. Maybe increased drug use among musicians is just our perception; maybe they just happen to be the ones which are allowed to admit the truth about their struggle. A notorious example is Kurt Cobain.
Cobain had the odds stacked against him, a predisposition to addiction and mental illness, fame over a short period of time and the money that comes with it. Kurt Cobain was unable to navigate his new-found status and didn’t want be the representation of a generation. Falling deeper into heroin addiction and reclusive patterns, Kurt Cobain said goodbye … Read entire article »

It is hard to tell whether poverty increases drug use, or drug use increases poverty. Either point can be infinitely debated. What cannot be debated is the higher rate of drug addiction within lower socio-economic neighborhoods.
The term drug culture is often used to describe the inner city of Baltimore, Los Angeles, or New York. To create a drug culture there has to be widespread and generational involvement with drugs, for example, children born to addicted … Read entire article »

It’s not every day that a mega-celebrity, in this case Lady Gaga, speaks candidly about her personal battle with marijuana. But she told all about her tenure as queen of sexy-crazy and now, high. “I have been addicted to it and it’s ultimately related to anxiety coping and it’s a form of self-medication,” Gaga told a radio talk show host in New York City.
There are those within the drug and alcohol recovery community who do … Read entire article »

The “Beat Generation” often describes a group of Avant-garde American writers and poets who first gained distinction in the 1950’s post-World War II era, but also can refer to the broader social counter-culture movement that was glorified by their literature.
The most well-known beat writers include William S. Burroughs, Naked Lunch (1959), Jack Kerouac, On The Road (1957), Alan Ginsberg, Howl (1956).
The movement grew from bohemian artist communities in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City’s Greenwich Village. The Beats favored a dress code that shunned materialism. They used slang adopted from jazz musicians and sought to be apolitical in their art.
Aside from being non-conformist with fashion, sexuality, and religion, they favored substances that would increase sensory awareness – experimenting with all drug types, including opiates and hallucinogens. In Burroughs’s … Read entire article »

Research indicates that 66 percent of people across the United States and Britain suffer from something called nomophobia, which is the fear of being separated from their mobile phones. As the information age develops and matures, unhealthy cell phone behavior continues to grow.
Tens of millions of people are literally addicted to their cell phones, especially smartphones, and feel panicked, anxious and afraid when deprived of their devices.
Some argue that cell phones, computers, and other high … Read entire article »

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that attacks the liver, leads to inflammation and can be deadly. Public knowledge concerning hepatitis C is much lower than other transmittable diseases, such as HIV (Mayo Clinic Staff). Researchers from the University of California-San Francisco recently released six new guidelines for preventing hepatitis C in young drug users.
Since 1997, UCSF has been conducting a study of young drug users, particularly those who inject drugs, called “U Find Out”, … Read entire article »

Murders are a point of interest in all aspects of society; they inspire television channels, books, and heated discussions. They also provide interesting insight for the scientific and psychological communities, as it has long been thought that killers differ mentally and emotionally from general society. A new study conducted by Dr. Robert Hanlon from Northwestern University examined the differences in mental illness, substance abuse, and cognitive impairments between impulsive and premeditated killers (Associated Press).
In this … Read entire article »

Around the country, there are millions of teenagers who binge drink or abuse drugs. However, there are some states that seem to be more affected by this problem than others. Reports from the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that Arizona has a higher rate of teen substance abuse than national averages in almost every area surveyed (Padilla). In order to combat this, some schools are now implementing support groups for teens who are struggling with substance abuse.
When it comes to marijuana, inhalants, cocaine, and pain pills, the rates of teen substance abuse in Arizona are higher than national averages. The average for teenagers who have used marijuana is 40%, as compared to 43% in Arizona. Additionally, of the Arizona students … Read entire article »